Kirk appeals to holiday-goers to check their passports

Louth Fianna Fáil TD Seamus Kirk has appealed to anyone planning to travel abroad this summer to check the validity of their passports without delay.

Deputy Kirk said: “I have spoken to many people have been caught out by the ongoing delays in processing passport applications. At the moment, it can take approximately eight weeks to process a postal application and there are also delays of several days to the express passport service.

“The system is extremely busy at the moment due to the time of year and an overall increase in demand. The passport offices in Dublin and Cork are receiving approximately 4,000 applications each day. There have been lengthy queues at the Dublin office over the last number of weeks so people need to leave themselves enough time to ensure they are seen to.

“Anyone planning holidays this summer should check their passport as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary stress and disappointment ahead of their getaway.”